Energy Content of Biofuel

Energy Content Of Biofuel

Different substances contain different amounts of potential energy, that is, the ability to do work.

To extract energy from a substance, a process must convert the substance into another state, releasing the potential energy as kinetic energy in the process, usually in the form of heat. Most man-made machines for harnessing this energy then convert the heat released into mechanical energy (such as a spinning turbine), then finally into electrical energy if needed, using a generator.

These machines vary in their effectiveness at capturing and harnessing the energy released. The proportion of energy usefully captured and converted into mechanical or electrical form is called its efficiency. No machines are 100% efficient. Thus the amount of useful work actually performed by these substances upon processing will never equal their potential energy content.

Furthermore, the mass and volume of a substance contributes to overhead energy costs for producing, processing, shipping, and storing of the substance required to utilize it as a fuel. When calculating economic or environmental impact of a particular fuel, all of these factors must be considered holistically.